CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The city is seeking community input on the 2021 budget.
The City of Chicago launched Monday a weeklong series of virtual townhall meetings livestreamed on Facebook, titled “Budget Week.”
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Beginning Monday, members of Mayor Lightfoot’s Administration will review the critical functions of each department and update the public on key issues facing the city’s finances.
Airing from 6-7 p.m. nightly, “Budget Week’s” online Facebook Live schedule is as follows:
- Monday, 8/31 – State of the Budget
- State of the Budget with Susie Park, Budget Director; Jennie Huang Bennett, Chief Financial Officer; and Alderman Pat Dowell, Chairman of the City Council Committee on the Budget and Government Operations
- Tuesday, 9/1 – Public Safety
- Public Safety with Susan Lee, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety; Deputy Superintendent Barbara West, Chicago Police Department; and Executive Director Annastasia Walker, Office of Public Safety Administration
- Wednesday, 9/2 – Human Services
- Human Services with 1st Deputy Commissioner Brandie Knazze, Department of Family and Support Services; Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, Department of Public Health; and Commissioner Rachel Arfa, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
- Thursday, 9/3 – Infrastructure
- Infrastructure with Commissioner Randy Conner, Department of Water Management; Commissioner John Tully, Department of Streets and Sanitation; and Commissioner Gia Biagi, Department of Transportation
- Friday, 9/4 – Neighborhood and Economic Development
- Neighborhood and Economic Development with Commissioner Maurice Cox, Department of Planning and Development; Commissioner Marisa Novara, Department of Housing; and Commissioner Rosa Escareno, Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
According to the Mayor’s Office, the city is working to build a 2021 budget that is inclusive of all communities and is encouraging residents from the across the city to get engaged in the budget process.
To maximize public engagement, the city created an interactive website where residents can submit questions about budget issues they care most about, and on Monday launched an online survey where participants can provide feedback about city services they most value.
“I strongly believe that a budget is a moral document that reflects the values and priorities of our great city – values that include equity and inclusion and ensure that every resident from every ZIP code feels as though we are investing in their future,” said Mayor Lightfoot, in a statement. “As we continue the work of building a financial plan that includes both solutions for today and the out-years, we want to ensure our decisions reflect the needs and values of residents, now more than ever before. I’m committed to ensuring the budgeting process is transparent and inclusive while we balance the reality of our financial constraints with the needs of families across the city.”
Additionally, this year the city is introducing the 2021 Budget Community Round Table series, a grassroots effort to gather community feedback from residents about their budgetary spending priorities, with a focus on engaging youth and the Latinx and African American communities. The city is seeking Budget Ambassadors to organize and facilitate one-hour virtual or in-person focus groups with up to 10 community members from September 7-20 to gather feedback about the needs and values most important to residents.
Efforts to expand the 2021 budget engagement process will continue over the next several weeks. Residents interested in the budgeting process can sign up to host a community focus group, submit a question about an important issue for discussion at the Facebook Live virtual town hall, or take the online survey.
